Paintball

Paintball is the kind of extreme sport that is watched with something akin to ill-concealed worry by moms while preteens, teens and even those older can barely contain their glee and enthusiasm. In its most basic form, paintballing is little more than shooting dye filled casings at other people while they are moving around and also trying to hit you with the paint. Ball equipment used varies in size slightly, but generally paintballs are considered small enough so as not to do any bodily harm other than a light bruising if they are fired at very close range.

Over time, there are different kinds of paintball games which have evolved. There are enemy paintball, capture the flag, special ops paintball, elimination paintball, the somewhat more involved scenario paintball, and of course pro paintball which is an activity that is enjoyed by those who are ready to let their love of the game take them to the next level, such as the participation in a paintball tournament. Software has been designed that helps die hard aficionados chart their moves, perfect strategy, and also make the most of different paint balls when it comes to weight, size, and anticipated trajectory.

Yet before you decide to rent some paintball pistols and get cracking, remember that you will need some safety gear. You will need paintball masks which cover your face and throat to protect the soft neck tissues as well as the eyes, ears, mouth and nose from the force of the ball as well as the dye. When you talk with other players about paintball tactics you may become introduced to paintball grenades (which are not allowed in tournaments) and paint mines.

Aficionados of paintball are of course also found on the ‘Net. There is the Oklahoma Paintball Online community which caters to players of all levels and features a very interactive forum that discusses paintball, accessories, upcoming tournaments, and all other things related to the sport. Since rules within the sport are so different from one location and even group to the next, this forum is a hotbed of discussion when it comes to the merits of one ruling over another, and anyone who has ever wondered why some rules exist why others just do not seem to make it onto the books will do well to visit the forum and learn a thing or two. Of course the discussion on the equipment are also well worth the visit, especially for the newbie who might not yet quite understand what to use and why.